


Break Me, Beautiful

by StellarTides



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Sexual Content, mafia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 06:06:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23466592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellarTides/pseuds/StellarTides
Summary: Kylo Ren was a lot of things. He was powerful, anger fueled, intolerant, harsh. A calculated killer. He had the blood of his enemies permanently stained on his skin. But Kylo Ren never lied to her.Rey's life will never be the same.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 24
Kudos: 60





	1. After

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I'm back to ruin my life with another story because I just can't seem to help myself. This is the first I've ever written in the SW fandom. I've swapped things around, changed a few minor details and some major. If you're not a fan of the changes, I apologize. Also, this story will get quite dark in later chapters with violence, mention of drugs, and explicit sex, so if you're not ready to ride that train then I wouldn't keep reading. But if you do, I hope you enjoy it, and feel free to leave your comments and opinions, I love it.

__

_A million shards of glass  
That haunt me from my past  
As the stars begin to gather  
And the light begins to fade  
When all hope begins to shatter  
Know that I won't be afraid  
If I risk it all  
Could you break my fall?_

**After**

“How did you find me?”

Her voice trembled as she spoke but it compared little to the shaking of her hands. She flexed, tightened, flexed her fingers into fists and took a long breath, strands of hair blowing across her face. 

He was here. After all this time, he was _here._

Rey had spent the last five years pretending he didn't exist – erasing his touch, his taste, the tenderness that followed the eruptions. Long ago, she had left behind busted knuckles, bloody clothes, and a lover that drove her into an abyss of madness.

But he was here.

His appearance had changed slightly over the years but it didn't matter. Five years later, Rey could still close her eyes and trace the lines of his palms, the curve of his lips. She remembered exactly how her fingers felt lost in his hair, the way his breath caught in his throat beneath the heat of her touch, and the underwater light show in his dark blue eyes.

Their eyes held until it seemed like minutes had passed before he swallowed and finally his lips began to move, “I never stopped looking for you.”

“I know,” She whispered softly, her eyes falling.

Leaves cracked beneath his boots as he took an unfamiliar step forward. Summoning courage, he closed the distance between them. She closed her eyes, unable to look up at him. Fingertips light as a whisper touched her cheek.

He smelled the same – sharp cologne, leather, smoke. She savored it. Though she knew better, her body ached to touch him, feel him, love him.

“Why did you leave me?” He asked softly, a hint of cinnamon brushing her face.

The hurt, the betrayal in his voice twisted her stomach. Not knowing what to expect, possibly anger or resentment, she steeled herself and opened her eyes. His face was so close to hers, tilted downwards until the tips of their noses nearly touched. He was breathing heavy, his chest rising and falling with each breath, and his eyes were trained on her.

And they were tortured.

“I had to,” She managed to whisper.

His eyebrows pulled together and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, inching closer to her until his lips almost brushed hers, “You didn't have to.”

“Kylo–“ She began to protest, turning her face from him.

But he was determined, always so fucking stubborn, and his hands flashed forward. His fingertips danced up her cheeks until his palms rested on her face and his fingers tangled in her hair. His touch was gentle but firm and she could feel the ache, years of need behind it.

“I didn't have a choice,” She said as he forced her to look at him.

“You always had a choice,” He replied, eyebrows pulling together tightly. “I just never thought. . .”

“You never _listened_ ,” She shook her head. “I told you I wanted out. I told you over and over.”

His blues flashed deeper hurt, “I never wanted you mixed up in all of that shit, Rey.”

She closed her eyes once more, taking a deep breath as memories of whiskey, hollow eyes, and blood stained hands devoured her. She shook her head.

“I asked you to stop. Before I left, I asked you so many times to give it all up and leave with me.” 

“Do you understand what you asked of me? My family needed me–“

_“I NEEDED YOU!”_

Five years wasn't long enough to forget the trauma, the fear, the cold feel of a pistol beneath her fingers, the echo of shots firing. . . And everything she had tried to leave behind resurfaced. It was like a dam breaking, a tsunami pouring out of her, and she felt the release shatter her self control.

She shoved her palms roughly against his chest, pushing him only a step back but enough to stagger him. His eyes flashed but she was resilient – determined to force feed him some of the pain he put her through. She narrowed her eyes dangerously as he took a step closer and her hand shot out, cracking across his face like a whip.

He didn't even try to stop her.

“After all this time, you couldn't just let – me – go?” She hissed, her voice low.

The left side of his face burned red from her hand but his eyes weren't angry, they were hurt, “I love you. More than anything, I love you. You left without a word, Rey. _Nothing._ What the fuck did you expect me to do?”

She ran her fingers roughly through her hair and shut her eyes tight, “What did _you_ expect _me_ to do? Did you ever, even once, stop to think about what I wanted?”

He was quiet for a moment and when she opened her eyes, his face was guilt ridden. She almost laughed. “Of course you didn't. You only thought about what you wanted. You knew I didn't want to live like that anymore, Kylo. You knew.”

Her eyes flashed over his shoulder to where his car was parked in her driveway; a beautiful, glossy-black Audi. She rolled her eyes and stepped away from him, a sick feeling in her stomach, “You still haven't stopped, have you? The guns, the drugs, the dirty money. Five years and you haven't changed at all.”

He matched her in steps. She backed away, he crept closer, one hand outstretched to her, “I'll leave it all behind, if that's what you want. Whatever you want.”

She stared hard at him, unsure whether or not he was telling the truth. Kylo Ren was a lot of things. He was powerful, anger fueled, intolerant, harsh. A calculated killer. He had the blood of his enemies permanently stained on his skin. 

But Kylo Ren never lied to her.

Behind her, the front door creaked open and the tiniest voice whispered, “Mommy?”

She spun quickly, stepping in front of the little girl and whispering urgently under her breath. 

_Not now, baby._

And _go back inside, Lei. I'll be right there, shh. Go._

When she closed the door once more and turned back to face Kylo, his face was pale and for the first time he had stepped _away_ from her. 

Disbelief.

Deceit. 

Crushed.

“You had a child?” He whispered, and then his eyes grew dark. “Poe? You tossed me to the side, for what, for _him?_ ”

And before she could speak, before her feet could inch a step closer to him, she saw the realization physically wash over his face and his breath choked from his lungs painfully.

“Lei,” He said slowly, unable to even look at her. “She's not Poe's child, is she?”

Rey's fingers were shaking again and she tipped her head slowly right then left, “No.”

His eyes snapped up and sharpened angrily at her, “Did you know? When you left me, did you know you were pregnant? Did you hide my child from me? Is that why you left?”

There was so much she wanted to say to him in this moment, but she knew, without a doubt, that nothing could take away the pain he felt. The hurt on his face was more than a broken heart, lost love – it was as if she crushed his soul, his entire world. She wanted to tell him the truth; explain the blackmail, the consequences, and how she lived every day looking into her daughter's eyes and then cried herself to sleep with guilt. 

He was wrong; she never had a choice.

She shook her head but couldn't make the words come out.

He would have forgiven her for leaving; she knew that. She knew it like she knew the sun would rise tomorrow. 

He loved her wild, ruthless, forever.

But this. . . 

She wasn't sure he would ever forgive her for this.

_Not this._


	2. Strip Me Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to publish this chapter so I'll stop rereading it and over analyzing everything. I'm driving myself crazy.  
> We hopped back in time, enjoy the ride. Our loves don't know each other yet. Enjoy the innocence before it's gone.

__

_In my head, there's only you now  
This world falls on me  
And in this world, there's real and make-believe  
But this seems real to me  
And you love me  
But you don't know who I am_

**Beginning**

“One dirty martini, extr–“

“Hendrick's gin, dry, extra olives,” Rey interrupted, already pulling a martini glass from the shelf and giving it a once over with a napkin to clear water stains. “I know. Mara is a regular and she's particular.” 

Rey's eyes scanned the dining area until her eyes met Mara's, and the older woman nodded her head in Rey's direction. Rey gave a small smile before turning her attention back to her shaker and mixing the liquor. 

No one knew exactly what Mara's job was, some suspected she was the CEO of a large company or another, but everyone knew she had money. Like clockwork, every Friday around 7:40 Mara, her husband, Han, and their friends would dine in at Geonisis. The group were always high-scale dressed in beautiful gowns and exquisite suits, ordered the most expensive dishes, and despite being highly particular about their food and drinks, tipped the most out of every patron they served.

“Also,” Finn, the newest server, said. “An old fashioned.”

Rey paused before spearing the olives and dropping them inside the martini, “Same table?”

She pushed the martini across the bar to Finn who tilted his head in the direction of Mara's table, “The young one, dark hair.”

Rey's eyes peered curiously across the restaurant to the young man. He was dressed in a sharp suit, black as midnight with not a crease nor wrinkle in sight. His head was down, his dark, messy hair falling just into his eyes, and his fingers were tightly laced together in front of him. He seemed tense and out of place, she noted.

“He's new.”

Finn shrugged and leaned against the counter. Rey pulled her attention away from the man and mixed the bourbon, bitters, and topped the drink with the peel of an orange. 

Rey knew just how Mara liked her martini's, for she would send them back multiple times if made incorrectly, and more than once had specifically requested Rey make them herself. She knew Han would typically drink water, lemon on the side, but occasionally ordered a beer; not often, though, because Mara didn't seem to like that. And from the little interactions Rey had experienced with that particular table, Mara seemed to run everything. Their friends typically didn't drink, so it was unusual that not only did Rey not recognize the dark haired man that accompanied them tonight, but also that he ordered a drink of which she was not accustomed to making. 

She passed along the old fashioned, plucked a few bar tickets from the line, and began pouring more drinks. As the bar began to fill up with the regular older male patrons, Finn returned suddenly and popped the drink back onto the bartop.

“He doesn't like it,” He stated flatly, face slightly discouraged.

Rey raised her eyebrows, her fingers tightening around the towel which she was using to wipe the bartop, “Excuse me?”

“He doesn't like it,” Finn repeated, pushing the drink towards Rey.

“ _He doesn't like it?_ ” She quipped, only slightly offended. “Well, what's wrong with it? What does he want?”

Finn shrugged, “He just wants it remade.”

“He wants it remade,” Rey repeated, rolling her eyes, popping a fresh straw in, and taking a taste of the drink – which tasted precisely how it should.

Her eyes scanned the patrons until she found the man who had returned her drink. As if on cue, his head tilted just slightly to the left and his eyes flashed to her momentarily, glinting and arrogant, before he quickly turned back to his friends. 

“Alright,” Rey muttered, dumping the drink into the sink. 

She made the drink again, double checking the recipe to be absolutely certain she was making it correctly, and then handed it across the bar to the server.

“That's as good as it gets.”

Finn chuckled, “I'll be sure to let him know. Hey, do you think I'll still get a good tip from them?”

Rey took a breath and gave him a reassuring smile to calm his nerves, “They always tip, don't worry.”

She watched carefully as Finn approached the table and placed the drink in front of the man. He stared at the drink for a moment, brought it to his lips, and no sooner than liquor had touched his palate did he hand it back to him and shake his head. 

Irritated, Rey tossed her towel down and made her way out of the bar, receiving both quizzical and amused looks from the men seated at the bar. Finn halted her before she could make it halfway to the table.

“He doesn't want it, he's ordered water,” He stated, attempting to hand her the drink.

“What's wrong with it?” She demanded, her irritation spiking as she snatched the drink from his hands.

She knew she made the drink right the first time. 

She was _certain_ it was perfect the second time. She had even double checked the recipe.

Looking slightly stricken by her attitude, Finn frowned, “He didn't say. He just asked me to get him something else.” 

Rey took a deep breath and before her frustration could propel her to the table, Val, the restaurant's owner, was beside her. She placed a placating hand on her shoulder, “Rey, why are you out of the bar? Is something wrong?”

“No,” She managed to say calmly. “Someone was just unsatisfied with the drink I made them, that's all.”

Val nodded and patted her shoulder, “It's alright, I'll take care of it. Go back to the bar.”

In most ways, Val was a typical, cunning business woman. She bled her into life into Geonisis and the restaurant's reputation was great because of that. Beyond her business skills, though, she was heartfelt. She had given Rey a job when she had little to no experience and had hit one of the lowest moments of her life. For the past nine months, Val had looked out for her in more ways than one; she was almost motherly.

Rey nodded slowly, not bothering to give the table another look, and returned to her bar. She didn't hear another word from them for the remainder of the evening. 

It was well after midnight when Rey made it back to her apartment. Her feet ached as she stood before her door, fingers fumbling to force the key into the lock, and she made a stern mental note to buy new shoes first thing in the morning. She shoved the door open, pulled her cash from her pocket and dropped it on the counter along with her keys, and then collapsed onto the couch.

She wasn't the least bit surprised to find her roommate, Jyn, awake on the couch surrounded by a sea of papers and books. She was in the exact same clothes as when Rey left, her hair was dirty and knotted in a loose bun, and her eyebrows were pulled together in a stressed line.

“How was work?” She asked, still focused on the books in front of her.

Rey rubbed her temples, willing her body to relax, “It was alright. Made decent money, we should be good for rent next month.”

Jyn's eyes lit up briefly and she smiled at Rey before scribbling something in a notebook in front of her, “That's great!”

“How's your homework coming?”

“Not good,” Jyn furrowed her eyebrows once more. “Who knew analytical geometry would be so fucking difficult!”

Rey chuckled and raised her eyebrows, “Yeah, don't they teach you that in, like, fourth grade?”

“Ha-ha,” Jyn mocked, shoving the papers away from her and falling dramatically on the couch. “I swear, once I graduate and become the world's next greatest engineer, we'll be set for life. We'll never stress about money and we'll move to Italy and leave everyone in this shit hole of a city goodbye.”

Rey shook her head and laughed. Despite being complete and total opposites, she and Jyn and been best friends since freshman year in high school. In some ways, Rey wished she were more like Jyn – Jyn was studious, always made straight A's, and had received a full ride scholarship to the college she most wanted. She was beautiful in a seemingly effortless way – someone who was almost all natural and still drew attention.

Rey felt like she always had to try a _little_ harder. Despite her studying, her grade's were lackluster. She preferred the burn and sweat of sports, but an athletic scholarship had been a far off dream. And despite everything, she still hadn't a clue what she truly wanted to do with her life. Perhaps that's how she ended up working at Geonisis for the past nine months, out of school, while Rose furthered her own future.

But in all ways, they were _best friends_. If nothing else in her life was certain, Jyn was.

“Lets do face masks and drink wine tomorrow night,” Jyn finally said, stretching her legs until her joints popped. “Wanna watch a movie? There's leftover chinese in the fridge. I ordered your favorite.”

Rey took a deep and shook her head, “Actually, I'm pretty tired. I'm probably just going to shower and go to bed.”

She didn't mention Mara and her guest, or how insulted he had made her feel.

The next Friday, at exactly 7:50, she received the order for a dry martini, extra olives and, to her utmost surprise, an old fashioned. Rey held the ticket between her fingers and her eyes narrowed. She made the martini exactly the way Mara liked it and made an old fashioned precisely how it _should_ be made. 

Just as she expected, not three minutes later, the drink was returned to her. 

“He doesn't like–“

“I know,” Rey scoffed, splashing the contents of the glass into the sink. “Let me guess, he wants it remade?”

“Yes,” The server said.

“Okay,” Rey nodded once, twice. Her fuse ignited, frustration peaking. “I'll deliver the next one to him myself.”

Three times. 

_Three times_ he had returned her drink. 

She could give him the first one – not everyone liked an old fashioned, it was an acquired taste. The second time had made her irritated. Why re-order a drink you don't like? 

But this was the third time and he had finally provoked the irate response she had tried, honestly tried, to swallow. Rey had already found that she had a difficult time controlling her anger, perhaps that's what made her a good bartender – men seemed to like it when women weren't afraid to put them in their place.

But this was Mara's table, and no one, not even Val, had ever gotten cross with her or her friends. The realization paused Rey for just a moment, but once she looked across the restaurant and saw him – one well-dressed arm draped casually over the back of his chair while his free hand ran through his untidy hair, a shit eating grin wide across his face – she decided she didn't care whose guest it was. 

She dropped a single ice cube into the glass and filled it with water. She then carried it across the restaurant until she found herself at Mara's table, standing in front of the man who had now sent back three of her drinks. She set the glass of water in front him and crossed her arms.

“Your old fashioned,” She stated, staring down at him and waiting, _waiting_ for him to look up at her.

His eyes regarded the glass carefully, fingers tap, tap, tapping on the table top. His voice was deep and charred when he spoke, “This isn't an old fashioned.” He picked the glass up and held it in her direction without looking at her. “This is water.”

“Oh,” Rey scoffed under her breath. The rest of the table had gone quiet and she could feel everyone's eyes on her. Her face began to burn slightly but she had buried herself too deep to back out now. “You're right, the other three drinks I made you were old fashioned's, but since you sent them back I figured I'd skip a step and go ahead and bring you the water I know you'll ask for after I remake another drink for you.”

Finally, his eyes met hers; they were a blue so deep, so dark, it felt just how the bottom of the ocean might look and for a moment she felt as if she were underwater – _breathe_. His gaze was stern, full lips parted slightly as if he were honestly offended. For a moment, she briefly forget there were others around them.

“This isn't what I ordered,” He said calmly, but his eyes were an ocean, liquid inferno.

“Kylo,” Mara warned.

His jaw tensed momentarily and he raised an eyebrow, “I ordered–“

“I know what you ordered,” Rey snapped, her voice sounding slightly smaller than it had moments before. “And you don't like them, so why keep ordering them?”

The corners of his lips tugged into a smirk so small she wondered if she was imagining it, “I can only hope you'll get it right eventually.”

“Enough,” Mara commanded. Rey suddenly pulled her focus from the man in front of her and looked at Mara – her eyes flashed livid and Rey briefly noticed that everyone else at the table had quickly looked at everything around them except Mara. “That is enough, Kylo.”

The man, whom Rey now knew as Kylo, trailed his gaze ever so slowly from the bottoms of her shoes up to the top of her head until the blood rushed up the back of her neck and tiptoed across her cheeks. Under his eyes, she felt her body course red-hot. His tongue slid across his bottom lip slowly, almost hungrily, as he took her in. Then he pressed his lips closed quickly. He shifted in his seat, placed the glass back on the table in front of him, and suddenly no longer acknowledged her presence at all. 

_Something about him just–_

“I apologize, Rey, for the inconvenience,” Mara said, adjusting herself in her seat and realigning her napkin in her lap. A smile whipped across her face that seemed both sincere and somehow sinister. 

“No,” Rey muttered, finally forcing her feet to move away from the table. Far, far away. “It's no problem.” 

Once Mara and her guests had left, her server approached the bar, his eyebrows raised until they nearly touched his hairline, “This is for you.” 

Rey paused and then plucked the money from his hands: three hundred dollars. 

__

* * *

“I just don't understand. . .” Rey said, pacing across the living room, running her hands through her hair in exasperation. “Why? _Why?_ I mean, do you think she felt sorry for me?”

After Mara's table had left a note with Rey's name and three hundred dollars attached, she had been dumbfounded. Her anger had dissolved into embarrassment by the time she had stumbled back to the bar. She expected them to complain; to tell Val how unprofessional and rude she had been. But tip her? The thought had never crossed her mind. She had numb drove home, shook from disbelief and confusion, and had finally spilled everything to Jyn.

Jyn winced, watching her best friend shuffle through anxiety, “I mean, it's possible that was her way of apologizing.”

“Three hundred dollars?” Rey scoffed. “And for what? All I did was make her one drink. Technically two, but he sent the other one back. She's never tipped me before. I've never even been her waitress, I've only made her drinks. Fuck, I've only ever spoken to her twice, maybe three times!”

“I think you're blowing this out of proportion,” Jyn said carefully, her face composed.

“Blowing this out–“ Rey huffed. “Three hundred dollars for _nothing_ , Jyn.” 

“Then it was her way of apologizing for her friend being an asshole,” She sighed, draping an arm across Rey's shoulder and giving her a comforting squeeze. “I don't know why you're so pressed about it, babe. Hell, go buy yourself a new pair of shoes, you need 'em.”

* * *

Rey's next shift was Wednesday evening. She placed her belongings beneath the register, greeted the few men at the bar, and prepared to relieve the bartender before her.

“I'm glad you're here,” He said, his lips turning upwards into a smirk. “Word is, someone's been waiting on you.”

Rey raised an eyebrow, “Sorry, what?”

He tipped his head towards the end of the bar, eyes lit mischievously, “Been in the past three nights, hasn't ordered anything except water, not even food. And rumor has it, he's been waiting to see _you._ ”

Her focus shifted from the bartender in front of her to the man seated at the far end of the bar. He hadn't seemed to notice her, his eyes were narrowed at the phone in his hands while his fingers pressed severely across the small screen.

But she noticed him. He was pure sharp eyes, dark suit, and messy hair. Tight posture, untouched glass of water inches in front of his fingers, and all arrogance and irritation.

What does he _want?_

“You don't say,” She muttered quietly, tucking a towel into one pocket and a bottle opener in the other. She took a deep breath, steadying herself before she approached him. 

_He's probably not here for you,_ she reminded herself.

_Don't lose your cool._

When she stopped in front of him, she crossed her arms across her chest and the words slipped her lips before she could stop them, “Let me guess, water?”

His fingers continued to fly across the phone screen and for a moment she wondered if he had heard her. . . And then his eyes lifted and his blues hit her, not nearly as dark as before, and the arms crossed across her chest dropped to her sides.

“Actually, I'd like an old fashioned.”

She paused, lips parted, and stared at him. Surely, he must be joking. 

He tilted his head down slightly, eyes falling briefly to the phone in his hands before he dropped it in front of him, and then, once more, his gaze found hers in a tangle of deep blue and darker lashes. His lips were pressed together holding back a smile, she could see it in his eyes. He was feigning the face of innocence.

“You're serious?” She stripped, her voice but a whisper and her thoughts whirl.

A dark brow raised and his expression danced from innocent to curious to amused, “Yes, that's what I asked for.”

She noticed the way his index finger tapped impatiently on the screen of the phone in front of him and as her eyes lingered she took in the sight of his hands; blue and purple painted on the knuckles, skin split in a just a few places where red peeked through and blood had met flesh.

She glanced up at him and his expression shifted from casual to tense quickly. She cleared her throat and looked away, her fingers retrieving a glass.

“You're wasting my liquor,” She muttered simply, forcing herself to be a good girl and pour the drink he requested. 

She pushed the glass in front of him and watched his face expectantly as he pulled the drink to his lips, not once giving her a glance, and then he set the drink down without a word. She raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to complain, but he said nothing. Instead, his phone chimed and he forgot her entirely; bruised fingers tapping quickly across the phone screen.

He was whiplash, back-and-forth; almost friendly one second and then ignoring her the next.

Suddenly, he reached for the drink and swallowed the contents in a few, large gulps – entirely the opposite of how one would enjoy that type of drink. Rey took a deep breath and shook her head. Before she could speak, he brushed his thumb slowly across his bottom lip, wiping the remnants of liquor away. She felt her pulse thrum a bit quicker and her face began to burn when her eyes flicked from his lips and she realized he caught her staring.

His face curved into a handsome, knowing smirk.

“That'll do,” He said, standing from his chair and tucking his phone into his suit pocket.

He shrugged his coat on, brushed a hand through his hair, and crumpled a few bills on the bartop and left before Rey could even thank him.

One hundred and fifty dollars.

* * *

“Fuck, he sounds sexy.”

Rey's nose scrunched but her face was hot, “He's not sexy. . . He's, God, he's so– He's–“

“He's taken away your ability to speak coherently?” Jyn chuckled.

Rey was seated on the floor, legs criss-crossed with an open bottle of wine pressed between her bare thighs. Jyn perched on the couch behind her, knees on either side, twisting her hair into a double braid while Saving Abel chorused from the speaker. Her body hummed warm-drunk and she covered her lips with the back of her hand to try and keep from smiling. 

“No, it's not like that,” Rey insisted. “He's so _serious–_ “ 

“–Attractive–”

“–Arrogant–“ 

“–Rich–“

“ _–Rude–_ “

“Oh, my god. You're going to fuck him.” 

Rey's mouth fell open and she twisted to give her girl a shocked look, “I am not!”

Jyn grinned until her eyes nearly closed and then she began to laugh, “Yes, you are. You know you've already thought about it.”

Rey turned back around while Jyn's fingers went back to work in her hair, “No, I haven't.”

But Rey was a horrible liar.

She had thought about it the first time his eyes scrutinized her. He'd stripped her naked, exposed her bare in the middle of the restaurant without ever even touching her; just with his eyes. She had thought about it a second time when he'd returned to her bar. . . His arrogant stature, the way his thumb brushed his bottom lip, the tease in his eyes when his face tilted into a smirk.

She felt like he knew all of her dirty secrets just from once glance.

And something about him, far beyond her comprehension, made her want more.

Satisfied with her work, Jyn leaned forward and rested her chin on Rey's shoulder. She gave her a quick peck on the cheek and sighed, “Well, he sounds delicious. And since I'm too busy for men, I have to live through you.”

Rey grinned and raised her eyebrows, leaning back into her best friend, “Is that so?”

“Yeah, so I need you to fuck him and then give me all of the dirty details.”


	3. As You Please

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the sweet comments, the kudos, and for coming back for more. xo  
> Is anyone else a sucker for possessive Kylo? Same. It's coming.

__

_I don't know  
what I'm diving into  
Just hanging by a moment  
Here with you  
_

February frosted into March ever so slowly. Jyn had spent most of her time in her room alternating between studying and crying as she stressed her way into college finals. Rey saw little of her for a few weeks, and even less of Kylo.

He hadn't returned to Geonisis once, not even on Friday's when Mara and Han came in.

Curiosity had gotten the better of her on more occasion than one and she found herself wondering about him. Elusive, shrouded in mystery, why did it seem like he had suddenly just. . . vanished?

She ran her fingers through her hair, blowing air from her cheeks onto her freshly yellow-painted toes. 

_Why did she care?_

She rubbed a bit of stray polish from her skin and pulled her eyebrows together.

_He was nothing to her; just a man she met in a bar._

She fell back onto her bed, fingers raking across her face, and a hot huff of frustration leaving her lips.

_It doesn't matter._

“REY!”

She popped up quickly, her feet hardly touching the carpet before her bedroom door swung wide open, slamming into the wall. Jyn stormed inside, her face beaming and held her phone high in the air almost triumphantly. She was wearing an over sized sweatshirt that hung nearly to her knees with food stains streaked along the front, mascara smudged beneath her hazel eyes, and Rey briefly wondered when she had last put her books down long enough to shower.

“ _You passed?_ ” Rey asked, stretching out her arms excitedly.

Jyn's ecstatic mood dimmed briefly, “What? Oh, no, I haven't received my results yet.” Followed by a very confused look from Rey, Jyn's face lit up once more. “I just talked to Poe! They're giving him a few weeks of leave! I told him he could stay here. I didn't even think to ask first, I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind. I figured you wouldn't.”

“Of course not,” Rey said quickly, too fast to even unpack Jyn's news.

Rey forced a smile across her face not wanting to dull her girl's happiness. Jyn shrilled, “Awesome, he'll be here in a few days. I'm picking him up from the airport.”

“You're going to shower first, right?” Rey teased.

She looked down at herself and wrinkled her nose in disgust before murmuring under her breath, “It hasn't been that long. I've been studying a lot!”

Rey shut the door behind her as she left and listened to the sound of her feet dance across the floor back to her bedroom.

Poe Dameron was coming to live with them for a few weeks. Exactly how long is a few? Rey plucked a couple of stray articles of clothing from the floor and tossed them into her hamper. She should be happy. More than happy, she should be as thrilled as Jyn that Poe was coming in to town. After all, it had been over a year, nearly two, since they had seen him. He was just as much a brother to her as he was to Jyn.

Before Rey had stumbled into their family, Jyn and Poe had grown up inseparable – driving each other to the brink of insanity with pranks and embarrassing nicknames and a few too many fist fights along the way, but they were always so close. And when Rey met Jyn in freshman year, it changed the dynamic completely, and she didn't even realize it. She had nestled herself so intricately into their lives that she had found a second family of her own; parents who always made sure she had new supplies for school every year, a best friend who adorned her with much too nice of clothes when it become obvious that Rey couldn't afford it, but also an older brother who always looked out for her in school hallways and had broken noses and ribs to defend her name.

But another power shift happened at the end of junior year, just after Poe had graduated and a week before he left for military training. His going away party had transformed into a full blown beach bonfire. It had escalated into drunk dancing, sloppy I'll-miss-you's, and one kiss that changed everything. 

Rey could never look at him the way he wanted her to. He was part of family that she had been gifted with, one she always longed for. He was just Poe; the older brother who cussed her and Jyn out for dressing too skimpy when his friends were over and beat up her first boyfriend who cheated on her. He and his friends had held her down and smeared cake on her face on her sixteenth birthday, he teased her for being flat-chested after he hit puberty before she did, he called her shortcake just to get under skin. 

He was just family.

Somewhere along the way, the lines blurred for him, and she hated it. It made her feel guilty to make him unhappy because he had helped give her some of the best years of her life. But she couldn't return his feelings, not in the way he desired.

They had spoken a few times since he had left for the military, but not often. The conversation were always clipped and awkward and neither of them knew exactly what to say.

And now he was going to be living with them.

* * *

“Can't you just talk to Val and see if she will give you the night off?” Jyn whined, bouncing up to her knees on Rey's bed and poking her bottom lip out like a child.

Rey finished buttoning up her shirt, tucked a few loose curls behind her ear, and then fashioned a pair of earrings on, “I already asked, there's no one to cover tonight. Just come in around closing time, bring me a change of clothes, and we'll go out as soon as I'm off, I promise.”

Jyn collapsed onto the bed, disappointed, “I was really hoping you would ride with me to the airport.”

On top of finding out Jyn had passed her finals, as Rey knew she would, tonight was also Poe's home-coming. That held one strong certainty: partying. All night, forget-your-worries, full blast. It was the only way Poe operated.

Rey was somehow both disappointed and relieved that she hadn't managed to take the night off. While a part of her was, truthfully, excited to see Poe, the fear of awkward hugs, tense smiles, and uncomfortable silences settled in her stomach.

And, she reminded herself, it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it was a Friday.

“I'm sorry,” Rey said softly, smoothing her best friend's hair. “One of us has to keep our heads above water, sunshine.”

* * * 

As the clocked ticked slowly from seven to seven-thirty, Rey found herself glancing to the door nervously. So far she had broken a margarita glass, dropped a plate of appetizers, and slipped twice because she still had not bought new fucking shoes, all from overwhelming anxiety and nerves.

She told herself it was because of Poe. Her nerves were a wreck because he would be here soon. It had nothing to do with the possibility of seeing Kylo, she swore it.

And then she swore underneath her breath.

It had been weeks and he hadn't been back. Did he leave town? Take a vacation? Did he move?

And then her stomach dropped and her insecurities began to run wild in her mind. Thoughts of _am I not pretty enough?_ Followed closely by _did I offend him somehow?_

She swiped the broom across the floor, roughly brushing shards of glass into the dustpan, when her eyes hit the door one last time and her heart fell, thumping rapidly and puddling at her feet.

Mara, Han, their friends, and Kylo.

Mara was distinct: her suit was charcoal-pressed, blonde hair curled perfectly around her face and a diamond laced neckline. Han was equally striking in a matching suit, his hair perfectly gelled and combed in place.

But somehow, Kylo stood out among them all. Perhaps because he towered over everyone; tight, broad shoulders, a head higher than everyone he stood next to, arms thick inside his navy blue suit. But where everyone else was crisp and polished, there was a little messy in Kylo. His hair was longer, not gelled like Han's but untamed absolutely unruly.

_Like after rough sex hair._

As if he could read her thoughts, his eyes found hers across the distance. Her fingers tightened around the broom handle and she became suddenly aware of how inadequate she looked compared to his group – exactly how she must look to him.

She wasn't unattractive, but she had never been the most beautiful girl in the room. Her hair was a typical shade of brown. She, thankfully, had a bit of curves for her small frame, but there was nothing about her, from her clothes to her physical appearance, that stood out. Admittedly, the only thing she found at all slightly alluring about herself were eyes.

Beyond that, she was only the girl sweeping broken glass off the bar floor, only serving Kylo and his friends. She could never afford to eat at Geonisis, she could hardly afford to even work there. Yet he and his friends were there nearly as much as she was, but for worlds-apart reasons.

Still, his eyes never left hers as they seated themselves at their usual table, not bothering to wait for the hostess. His blue eyes held hers until his hands touched his chair, and he finally took a seat and turned away his attention. Rey's gaze left him and she noticed Mara watching her; her expression was composed tightly, but seemed slightly disapproving. 

Blood rushed to her face and she quickly turned her back to them, tucking away the broom and taking a deep breath. 

“Hello? My table's been waiting for almost ten minutes,” A voice snapped.

Rey pressed her fingers roughly into her eyelids before narrowing her gaze at the server, “You'll get it when I'm ready to make it. Demand it, and you'll wait longer.”

Forcing her shaking fingers to steady and her feet to tread her across the bar, she eased herself and made her drinks. She made drinks for Mara's table, which did not include Kylo's old fashioned, and tried to keep herself from looking across the restaurant at him. Instead, she steadied herself on her work.

Ignoring Kylo, for some reason, was difficult. She wanted to look at him – so badly did she want to look at him if only to have him smirk back at her – but she had succeeded in keeping her eyes to herself, mostly because she had been busy with guests, but she took it triumphantly none the less.

She was satisfied just to see him back. The thought that he hadn't returned because of her had all but driven her crazy, whether or not she would admit it. But he was here, she was here, and that was enough. Just seeing him was enough. 

No man had ever had this effect on her before. She couldn't comprehend why he made her knees shake, pulse race. Why she felt a shift whenever she saw him and the pull, the desire, to watch him, to be near him. . .

There was something about him, she just couldn't explain it.

A handful of crumpled twenty dollar bills tucked into her tip jar and two hours later, three bar chairs creaked and Rey turned to flash a smile, “Hey, how are yo–“

Three people and her eyes still hit him first. He had already leaned back into his chair, lips pulled up at the corners and hooded eyes as if he knew a secret no one else knew. His suit jacket was tucked around the back of his chair and his tie had been loosened around his neck. As soon as the words choked in her throat, he leaned forward slightly, bent elbows on the bartop, and began unbuttoning the cuffs on his sleeves and rolling the fabric up his arms. He tilted his head, an arrogant grin still playing on his lips, to the man next to him.

“It's on me tonight, whatever you want.”

She watched his thick, deft fingers curl his shirtsleeves over the tight muscles on his arms, exposing lines of deep, black tattoos. She didn't realize she was staring until he finished straightening the watch on his wrist and then rested his hands on the bartop, one finger slowly pointing upwards towards his face, motioning her attention to _look up._

The smile on his face was stealthy, knowing, and dangerous. She couldn't hold his gaze this time.

“You,” Rey started, then cleared her throat and found an inch of confidence. “You know the bar closes at ten.” 

The man who spoke next, Rey recognized as Han. His eyebrows lifted slightly but his face was amused, “Thirty minutes, yeah? Could you ask Val to come here?”

_Is Val here?_

_Can I speak to the manager?_

_No, honey, I know the owner._

_Val and I grew up together._

She had heard it all, and nothing churned her stomach and pissed her off more than guests pulling Val's card to get what they wanted, but she couldn't even fake irritation this time. Her feet tripped heel-toe to the back and she explained the situation to a very understanding owner.

Val nodded, “We'll stay open until eleven for them, no later.”

Rey's lips turned down slightly. She didn't want to mention that she had plans after work, mostly because of everything that Val had done for her but partially because there was a small part of her that wanted Kylo and his friends at her bar. Still, she couldn't help the slight disappointment that she felt. 

Val tucked a strand of Rey's hair behind her ear and gave her soft eyes, “I know you have plans tonight, Rey, but they're loyal patrons and it's important that we take care of them. Give them one hour and I'll cut them off myself if I have to, but we have to appease them a little. If you'd like, I'll cover you next weekend and you can take off.”

“It's okay,” Rey said, knowing she honestly needed the money more than a free weekend. “I'll stay until eleven. Han still wants to speak with you.”

Val nodded and smiled at her, “I”ll go have a word with them. Go and get a few complimentary appetizers for them, tell the kitchen it's on me.”

* * *

“God, I love Fridays,” Finn grinned, tucking cash into his apron. “Did you make good money?”

Rey's fingers tapped anxiously on the line as she waited for the appetizers and she shifted her weight, forcing a smile for Finn, “Pretty decent, I can't complain.”

“The guys moved to the bar, huh?” Finn rested his elbow on the line, trying for conversation with her while her eyes impatiently watched the kitchen staff for her food. “They're celebrating. Didn't say why, but the women left to some club.”

Rey nodded, only halfway listening, “Uh-huh.”

This was new. None of them had ever sat at her bar. Not once.

She smiled at Finn politely, wondering what the celebration was.

“Hey, didn't you say your friend was coming into town?”

Rey sighed. What was taking so long on her food?

“Brother,” She corrected, fingers snatching the first plate of food placed in front of her. “And yes, he should be here any tim–“

Her fingers went numb and she nearly lost her grip on the plate. 

No.

God, no.

Shoes slipping on the wet floor, without waiting for the rest of the food, she rushed from the back of the restaurant towards the bar. She shoved the door open with her elbow, desperate to reach her destination before–

“It's about damn time, shortcake.”

“Oh, my god,” She choked, feeling as if she had been submerged in ice water.

Poe's chair ground against the floor as he shoved it back forcefully, nearly tripping, eager to reach her. She was torn between dropping the food in her hands and telling him to wait, just one second. 

He made the decision for her.

Before the plate could touch the bartop, his arms were wrapped tightly around her shoulders and he embraced her body. Air shocked from her lungs and, for a moment, she felt fifteen again. Slow burned, somewhere deep, familial love that nothing, not even a stupid kiss and unrequited feelings, could take away. She set the food down without a second thought and breathed him in as her arms encased his waist. 

She had missed this.

They held for a long moment, his heart beating next to her face quickly, until finally he pulled away and his hands ruffled her hair, “You've grown up on me.”

“Yeah,” She laughed, attempting to smooth her hair. “That tends to happen over the years, you know.”

“God, look at you,” He said, grinning. He stepped back, eyes washing over her. He shook his head and whistled to himself. “I bet I have to fight the boys off of you tonight.”

“No, not at all,” She said, her face growing hot. She didn't dare glance down the bar to Kylo, but she knew, she just knew, he was watching. She could feel his eyes raging fire on her skin.

Poe found his seat, still grinning, and Rey watched her shoes as she grabbed the food from the bartop, “You guys want a drink? I have to stay a little later tonight, if you want to go ahead and go, I can meet you afte–“

“A drink sounds good,” Jyn interrupted, elbowing her brother in the ribs playfully. “As if we would leave without you.”

Of course not.

“Alright,” Rey muttered, trying to appear happy. She passed them a drink menu and then gave them a shrug, motioning to the food in her hands. “Be right back.” 

She walked a few paces down the bar. Val was leaned forward on the bartop laughing with Han and his friend, but Kylo's eyes were on her. His index finger traced his lips and he watched her every step as she approached and placed the food in front of them. He seemed to be the only one in his party paying her any attention.

“Thank you,” He said, his voice husky and low. He pushed the food down the bar to his friends, eyes never leaving her. “Boyfriend?”

Rey paled, her blood churned, “Wha– What?” 

His dark blues flashed, narrowing a hair. Jealousy? His head tipped slightly to left, to Poe. It was then that she understood what he was asking and she shook her head quickly, trying to maintain a clear composure. But his eyes were scrutinizing. They were hot and hard and burned a hole inside of her.

“No. No, he's my brother,” She managed.

He raised a black brow and his faced showed humored disbelief, “Your brother?”

Suddenly more nervous than before, she looked across the bar and Jyn was grinning wide, sky high eyebrows, and she gave her a slick, not well hidden thumbs up. Rey knew the look all too well – Jyn knew exactly who she was talking to.

“Yes,” Rey exhaled, shoving her hands in her pockets. “Why?”

“No reason,” He chuckled under his breath. “You just don't look anything alike, doesn't seem like he knows he's your brother.”

Rey cleared her throat and changed the subject, “Did you want a drink?”

He sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and nodded slowly, “I'll take an old fashioned.”

Before she could think of a smart retort, Val placed an arm around her shoulder, “You gentlemen have a wonderful evening. Rey's the best, she'll take good care of you, I promise. Eleven sharp, Han, no later.”

“Cross my heart,” Han said, raising his hands in the air and grinning. “Sorry to be a bother, sweetheart.”

“It's no bother,” Rey replied, quickly mixing Kylo's drink. Her emotions were running on overdrive, a spasm of nervous, uncomfortable, elated. . . She was firing through feelings so quickly that her mind couldn't keep up. When she handed Kylo his drink, she wasn't even sure she had made it correctly. She only hoped he couldn't see her hands shaking.

“You can put your brother's drink on my tab, along with whatever your friend wants,” He said, sliding a heavy black card towards her. 

“And I,” Han said, holding a finger in the air. “Will take a whiskey neat, please. Matter of fact, make it a double. Chewy here wants a beer, he'll drink anything so just give him whatever you've got.”

Rey nodded and began working up their orders when she heard her girl's voice too close, right behind her. . . Right beside–

“I guess the party is at this end of the bar! Nice to meet you, I'm Jyn, Rey's best friend. And this is my brother, Poe.”

She nearly dropped the bottle of whiskey in her hands.

“ _Your_ brother?” Kylo's tight voice left little to be imagined.

“Poe Dameron,” She heard him introduce himself.

Followed by a low, clipped, “Kylo. This is Han and Chewie.”

Rey turned to see that Jyn had taken the seat to Kylo's left, Poe on her opposite, and she was beaming, absolutely devouring this moment.

“Rey,” Jyn winked. “Could you make me a strawberry margarita, love?”

Jesus _fucking_ Christ. 

Rey narrowed her eyes silently at Jyn, hoping to convey nothing short of _you are – dead – when we leave_. Jyn's bottom lip poked out and she faked innocence. 

“Okay,” Rey agreed through grit teeth. “Poe?”

Left to right, her eyes danced from Poe to Kylo. While Poe seemed to be oblivious to everything around him, Kylo was smarter, quicker to catch on. He tilted his head to the side, gauging her every word, breath, reaction. Something about the way his eyes followed her every step made her made her skin blaze.

“Ah,” Poe's eyes tilted up as he thought for a moment, then grinned. “One Jagerbomb, shortcake.”

“Shortcake,” Kylo quipped under his breath so low that Rey barely caught it. 

Kylo turned, the smallest of smile on his lips, to whisper something to Han and Rey glared absolute daggers at the side of his face. He caught her from the corners of his eyes and she flushed. 

“So what are you guys doing this evening,” Jyn asked, leaning forward to look at all three of the men.

Flirting. Jyn was trying to flirt, with who? Not Kylo. Han? Mara would eat her alive. _Chewie?_ He was the oldest out of all of them, balding at the crown of his head with a thick mustache covering his upper lip. Surely not, but that was definitely Jyn's flirting voice.

“Oh,” Han smiled, shrugging his shoulders. “Have a few drinks here, meet up with friends at Coruscant.”

Jyn slapped Poe's shoulder, pulling him into the conversation, “Coruscant – the club? That's where we were going to go! Hard to get in, though, from what I've heard.”

Han chuckled, “Not if you know the owner.”

Jyn's eyes danced, “You know the owner?”

“I am the owner.”

“Well, Mr. Han, I believe we just became best friends. Sorry, Rey,” She teased playfully.

“You could come with us,” Kylo said lowly. He spoke to Jyn but his gaze was pinned, tightly, on Rey.

“Actually–“

“That is a great idea,” Jyn said, grinning at Rey.

How is this happening? How had her best friend weaseled them into, of all situations, this one? And to somehow include Poe, who hadn't been a factor in her life in years. 

Yet here she stood in front of her best friend, the man who had had feelings for her since high school, and another man who was practically eye fucking her, clothes on, in front of everyone else.

“Well, lets get to it then. Not fair for us to get to drink while sweetheart, here, just has to watch,” Han said.

“I have to clean up first, I'll just be a bit,” Rey muttered, inhaling sharply.

Kylo's lips pressed together for a moment before he smiled, sultry and smooth, “You guys can go on ahead, I can wait on Rey.” 

Sorry, _what?_

It was the first time he had ever said her name. Rey. The sound had rolled deep, purred, off his lips deliciously. She wanted to hear him say her name over, and over, and over. 

“It's no problem, we can wai–“ Poe started, face hardened, but Jyn interjected.

“You know, I just don't feel like waiting. You don't mind, do you, Rey?” 

Jyn knew.

Jyn _knew_ Rey better than anyone. She knew the way Rey bit her lip when she was thinking, curled her hair around her fingers when she was flirting. She knew Rey's favorite pizza was cheese, she hated vodka, and her favorite color was blue.

And she knew Rey would want to go with Kylo, even if she wouldn't admit it.

Before she had a chance to move her lips in response, Jyn was tugging a duffle bag from beneath her feet, “So that settles it. Here's your clothes, little love. We'll see you in a bit. Oh, get up, Poe. Lets go! We're going to Coruscant!”

Rey's fingers twitched around the duffle bag's straps and she blew a breath of disbelief from her lips, feet glued to the floor as she watched her friends leave.

Kylo leaned forward on the bar, messied his hair further with one hand, and inspected the red on her cheeks, “You look nervous. Scared?”

Terrified.


	4. Game of Survival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, this one wrote itself. If you like aggressive Kylo, this one's for you.  
> 

__

_Skin on my skin  
What a wonderful sin  
Take your breath  
But you're asking  
For more_

It took Rey little over twenty minutes to close her bar. It occurred to her that she would probably be reprimanded for how messy it looked, but her mind was worlds away from caring. Kylo had received a call just after his friends left and had excused himself outside. Rey eyed the door curiously, wondering what was taking him so long to return, and only briefly letting herself cast thoughts such as _okay, what if he just left?_

Steady breaths, chin up, she carried the duffle bag into the bathroom and began rummaging through it to see what Jyn had given her. Her girl never disappointed; a black cocktail dress, cinched at the waist and flared at the hip, it happened to be her favorite. It made her feel confident, invincible. She shimmied into the dress, slipped into her suede strappy heels, and tugged her hair out of it's bun. Her curls fell slightly flat, but she fluffed and flipped until she had satisfied herself. She stuffed her work clothes and shoes into the duffle bag, gave herself one last look, and then paused at the door.

She had no idea what Kylo drove.

She didn't even know if he was still _here_.

Fingers tapping anxiously on her temples, she stepped out of the restaurant and into the parking lot. The night was cloudy and there was a leftover winter chill in the air. There was only one car in the lot – parked far on the opposite side, so black it was nearly difficult to spot. . . But what wasn't difficult to see was the man leaned against the drivers door, long legs crossed at the ankles, blowing a cloud of smoke from his lips and a phone pressed to his ear.

 _Well, at least he didn't leave me_ , she thought, relieved.

The sound of her heels clicking against the asphalt stirred his attention and he quickly tucked away his phone. He pushed his body from the car, took one long drag off his cigarette and then flicked it to the side. As she approached, he pulled something from the pocket of his suit and popped it in his mouth. When he spoke, the smell of cinnamon wafted towards her.

Gum.

“Sorry, I had business to take care of,” He said, eyes lazily wandering from her ankles to her hips.

She paused in front of him, her body suddenly hot despite the cold air, angling the duffle bag in front of her waist, “It's no problem. I thought you might have left.”

His gaze snapped up to hers and his brows pulled together, “And where would I have gone?”

She breathed a nervous laugh and shrugged, “Coruscant?”

He reached forward and gently tugged the duffle bag from her hands. Body close, he stared down at her and she became suddenly aware of how small she was compared to him, even in heels she wasn't close to his height. His lips parted slightly and his jaw clenched, tense, tight, as if he were trying to hold composure. Her blood began to course red-hot through her entire body. His face hovered above hers, so close that she could smell the cinnamon on his tongue strong now. So close that, if she wanted to, she could tilt her face upwards a few more inches, lean forward on her toes, and their lips would nearly. . . 

And then he turned away and popped open the trunk, “I'm a man of my word, Rey. I wouldn't have left without you.”

“Good to know,” She said softly, but he had already made his way around to the passenger side and opened her door.

Just as she settled herself in the seat, the realization of what she was doing hollowed her stomach and she pushed her hand out to stop him from closing the door. Slowly, she turned her eyes up to his, “How do I know you're not going to take me to some alley and kill me?”

He braced his arm against the top of the car door, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, and his teeth flashed white, perfect, dangerous, “Don't you think it would have been wiser to ask me that _before_ you got in my car?”

Her heart double-beat, skipped, and then began to race, “I could still make a run for it.”

His smile grew and he raised an eyebrow, “Oh, you could?” He stepped to the side, his body engulfing the space of the open door, and he whispered, “You think you could outrun me. . . in heels?”

“It's possible,” Her voice was small and she swallowed thickly.

His teeth caught his bottom lip and his eyes narrowed, “Do you want to run? I'll let you, if you want to.”

“No,” She said without thinking.

He pressed his lips together and nodded, and just before he closed the door he turned back to her and said lowly, “If I wanted to take your life, Rey, I would've been much more secretive in my attempts to get you alone.”

He climbed into the drivers seat, barely fitting inside the car, and turned to her before he started the engine. Fingers resting on the steering wheel, his expression was suddenly serious, “I'm not going to hurt you, but if you're uncomfortable you can call your friends. I'll wait here with you for them to pick you up.”

The offer had a calming effect on her nerves. She was smart to second guess herself in this situation, although he had been correct; she had waited a little too late to have second thoughts. Still, knowing she had a choice relaxed her a bit.

She let out a shaky laugh and pressed her hands to her face. Her fingers were ice against her hot cheeks, “I'm being crazy, I'm sorry. You're not a serial killer.”

“I didn't say that,” He whispered. “I said I wouldn't hurt _you_.”

Rey felt her face cool quickly as the blood drained and she eyed him carefully, “ _Are_ you a serial killer?”

“No,” He smiled. “Do you want to call your friends?”

“Are you taking me to Coruscant?”

“Yes.”

“Then no.”

He nodded, started the engine, and rested his hand on the back of her seat as he put the car in reverse, “Text your friends and let them know we'll be there soon.”

Without a second thought, she obeyed. The screen was bright inside the dark car and she narrowed her eyes as she quickly sent Jyn the text. She then tucked her phone beneath her bare thigh and brushed her hands against her knees, breathing deeply.

Kylo watched her from the corner of his eyes, “Do make it a habit to go places with strange men?”

She glanced over at him and cleared her throat, “I'd hardly call you a strange man, I've seen you and your friends more than once.”

“Fair enough,” He tipped his chin and she could see his faint smile in the dark. “Yet you know nothing about me.”

“Fair enough,” She repeated softly. “So what do you do?”

“As in. . .” His voice trailed off, hanging in the air like a question.

“As in work – what do you do for work? You're always well dressed, you drive a nice car. You must have a fairly important job.”

He chuckled under his breath and nodded, “I suppose you could say that. I work in business.”

“Mmm,” She shifted her hair over her shoulder, moving only to calm her nerves, to give her fingers something to do. “What kind of business?”

He was quiet for a moment, thinking, then he licked his lips and took a breath, “Don't ask the question if you're not prepared for the answer, Rey.”

She chewed the inside of her cheek, “What's that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said,” He replied lowly, sultry.

“Okay,” She exhaled sharply, turning to peer out the window.

“I'm much more interested in you,” Kylo said finally.

She suppressed the urge to tap her knee nervously, “What about me?”

“I already know you're a bartender at Geonisis and you have a roommate and best friend that encourages you to leave places with men you don't know; she seems like a great influence. What else do you do?”

“That's pretty much it,” She laughed quietly.

“Well, what do you _want_ to do?” He asked seriously.

Rey rested her head back on the seat and stared upwards, shaking her head, “I have no idea. Anything? Everything.”

Pulling up at Coruscant, he parked the car and killed the engine. Rey leaned forward and his hand reached out, fingers just brushing her left cheek as smoothed a stray curl from her face. His expression was unreadable – flowing somewhere between lust and confusion.

“And your family?” He asked faintly.

“I don't have any,” She said softly, looking down at her hands. “My mother died when I was young. My father coped the only way he knew how.”

Kylo's voice was gentle, earnest, “Is he alive?”

“No,” She answered quickly, inhaling sharply. “Jyn's family is the closest I have to family.”

Rey wasn't sure if the temperature in the car was rising or if it was simply due to their close proximity, but she suddenly felt her body flush. She breathed out slowly and dared to look over at him. Kylo rested his elbow on the center console, pupils blown so high in the dark that she couldn't make out the blue in his irises anymore. 

“Jyn,” He said slowly.

“And Poe,” She whispered.

“I don't think he thinks of you as a sister,” He noted softly, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Rey shook her head, her words hardly audible, unable to look away from his face, “He doesn't.”

“Interesting,” Kylo said, tilting his head forward and drifting his eyes down her face to her lips. “And do you feel like his sister?”

“Yes,” She breathed.

His jaw flexed as he worked the gum between his teeth, still watching her lips. She wanted. . . She wanted to taste him, to savor the cinnamon, the smoke, the arrogance. His tongue flicked out and brushed along his bottom lip slowly and without thinking, she pressed her thighs together, skin raging fire.

“Your friends are waiting on us,” He whispered, looking back up into her eyes. “We should go.”

She blew out a sharp, disappointed breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding.

* * *

Once outside, her body shivered in the cold air but her lungs welcomed it. The chill was refreshing from the heat of the car and it cleared her head.

“Do you want my jacket?” Kylo asked, looking her from top to bottom.

“I'm okay, thank you,” She shook her head.

He nodded and placed his hand just on the small of her back, guiding her into the club, “This is where we go through. We don't use the main entrance.”

“Perks of being friends with the owner?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Related,” He laughed.

“ _Related?_ ”

He glanced down at her, and now she could see the blue in his eyes. Her pulse thrummed.

“Han is my father,” He said simply, as if it were something she should have already known. Then he motioned her forward with his free hand, “After you.”

Following his guide, Rey stepped through the doors inside the club. It was larger inside than it had appeared outside. The speakers drummed music so loudly, she felt the vibrations within her chest, through her bones. It felt electric and alive. The lights were cut, with low purples, blues, and greens fading in and out with the beat of the bass. She looked down in the darkness, following a small trail of neons on the floor as a guide. She felt Kylo step close behind her, the hand on her back sneaking around until his fingers gripped her hip and his breath was in her ear.

“You can have whatever you want tonight, it's on me.”

Her toes curled in her heels and she tightened her fingers into fists. Surely, he had to know the effect he was having on her. She tipped her head to the side, glancing up at him. His face still hovered next to her ear, and she felt his nose brush her cheek as she turned. She took a breath, spun until she was facing him, and then took a step away, narrowing her eyes teasingly. 

Because if she didn't put space between them, she was going to kiss him.

And if she kissed him, she would touch him.

And after that, she wasn't sure she would be able to stop.

His body straightened and he tilted his chin upwards, peering down at her. His expression was eager temptation, smoldering, almost predatory. She had to be _careful_ with this one. He looked above her, high towards the balcony overhead, and he nodded his head. She waited for his lead and then fell in step behind him. As she walked, she texted Jyn.

_We're here._

Her phone vibrated: _Where ya at, love?_

_Heading to the balcony, come find us_

The balcony was divided into multiple small, private alcoves – complete with couches, chairs, and a center table. Kylo passed by three until he reached a section in the very middle and looked over his shoulder at her, smiling deliciously. As she approached, she saw Han, Jyn, Chewie, and Poe seated together. Jyn's face was drunk flushed and her smile made her hazel eyes practically glow. Rey grinned and shook her head.

“There you are, sunshine! I've been waiting _forever_ for you!” Jyn squealed, wrapping her arms around Rey's waist and pulling her down until she sat in her lap. 

“You're drunk,” Rey laughed, pulling a strand of Jyn's away from her lips. “You haven't even been here long, how are you already drunk?”

“Come on,” Poe laughed, equally flushed, pointing at Jyn. “You know she's a lightweight. Some things never change.”

Rey shrugged, grinning, “That's true. My poor, little lightweight. I still love you.”

“Rey,” Kylo's voice pulled her attention away immediately. There it was again, her name. She needed to give him more reasons to say her name. “What do you want to drink?”

“Surprise me,” She smiled.

Kylo nodded, drifting into a seat next to Han, and whispered into a cocktail waitresses ear. A few minutes later, she returned with what Rey assumed to be whiskey for Kylo and something a vibrant shade of blue for her. She held the drink a few inches from her face, inspecting the color, wondering. . . Then she caught Kylo's eyes watching her from over the rim of his glass, his lips pulled at the corners. 

She shook her head and took a drink, mostly positive the drink wasn't spiked. Although he made her stomach flip and her inner thighs burn, she wasn't sure if she trusted him completely. Regardless, she pulled the straw to her lips and took a second drink. Though the drink looked beautiful, it burned like fire down her throat and she nearly coughed. She looked at the drink, face distorted, and exhaled hot, choked air. Across from her, Kylo's shoulders shook as he laughed. Determined, she closed her eyes and sucked the drink down, not pausing for air, not satisfied until the glass was empty. 

Kylo raised his eyebrows at her and, electrified with a little liquid courage, she mouthed, “ _Fuck you_.”

He grinned, nodded, and mouthed back, “ _Okay_.”

* * *

Three drinks, two shots, and one lap dance from Jyn later, Rey was flying, drunk, elevated to the heavens. Her skin tingled and she ran her fingers through her hair, blowing a kiss on her best friend's cheek and wrapping her arm around her shoulders. She was soaring, so far away that she almost didn't notice the man approach them and whisper to Kylo. She blinked, focusing, watching Kylo's smile drop, his face harden, and his gaze narrow at her briefly. He leaned over, spoke in Han's ear, and then they were rising off the couch.

Kylo approached her, placing his hands just above her knees as he leaned over her to speak in her ear. Out of desire or the fuel of alcohol, she had to physically resist the urge to twist her fingers in the front of his suit, spread her thighs, and pull him in. His fingers gripped her gently but she wanted more. . . But then his touch left and he plucked her phone from her lap, typing something, and then handed it back to her.

His face was serious, lips touching her ear as he spoke, “I have to take care of something. Stay here. You have my number, call me if you need me.”

Leaving? She frowned at his back as he walked away.

“He left,” Jyn pouted at Rey. “But why did he leave?”

“I don't know. Something to take care of, whatever that even means,” She replied, wiping her forehead. “I need to find the restroom. I'll be right back.”

“I'll come too,” Jyn said, stumbling as she tried to stand and being caught by Poe just before she reached the floor.

“You stay here,” Rey laughed. 

“You want me to walk you?” Poe asked, helping Jyn back onto the couch.

She suddenly felt guilty for not giving Poe much attention the entire evening. She had been so caught up with Jyn and distracted by Kylo that she forgot the entire reason they were at Coruscant to begin with – to celebrate Poe being home. Fuck. 

“I'll be alright, keep an eye on this one. She needs supervision more than I do,” And as she left, she made a mental note to make up for her rudeness with Poe later.

She stumbled her way down the balcony, tripping twice and rolling in her heels once, making her way down a dark hallway. She was thankful for the darkness, the neon lights made her dizzy as she walked and she blamed them for her tripping. The music began to beat lower the deeper she went, passing door after door, looking for the damn bathroom when she heard Kylo's voice, angry, behind one of the doors. 

She paused, pressing against the wall next to the door, listening.

* * *

“You're brave coming here uninvited.”

Kylo crossed his arms, expelling air through his nose sharply, and glared at the man in front of him. Be it from sheer stupidity or his own ignorant arrogance, the man seemed unaffected, bored almost.

“I'm only here to deliver a message from Phasma,” He quipped, narrowing his eyes at Kylo.

“To deliver a message from Phasma? She still has you doing dog work, Hux?” Kylo laughed cruelly.

The man, Hux, clenched his jaw, “I think after your latest business moves, Ren, insulting me isn't the smartest choice.”

Kylo stepped closer, staring him down, “Coming here unannounced, uninvited, wasn't the smartest choice. Open your jacket, lay them out.”

Hux glared around the room, from Kylo to Han to Chewie, but decided not to argue. He reached inside his suit, removed his handgun and placed it on the table in front of him.

“Good boy,” Kylo spit.

Hux's nose flared angrily and Kylo knew he had him – he knew which buttons to press to piss him off and then how to exert himself so that Hux cowered. Hux was _all coward_ , and Kylo _despised_ him. The only reason he was still breathing was due to a deal Hux's family had made with his own; a deal Phasma and Mara had made. And as much as he _hated_ him, he had to follow Mara's rules. 

“Kylo,” Han began to warn, but Hux interrupted. 

“Eager to rush back to your girlfriend?”

Kylo froze and a smile spread across Hux's face.

Being rival families, it was a miracle Phasma and Mara had been able to cut a deal between the two of them. In their line of work, the shit they trafficked, without some sort of treaty in place there was nothing stopping an all out bloodbath between them. But their deal was stone set – each family was untouchable to the other. It kept Kylo and Hux from killing each other, but beyond that. . . 

The deal didn't include Rey. She wasn't a member of their mess, just an innocent bystander that Kylo had just, without even realizing, tangled in his bullshit.

And there was nothing he could do to stop Hux from touching her. 

Outside of being a member of Kylo's family, Hux and his men had as much claim to Rey as he did. No threat, no touch, not even her death, could be considered punishable.

“Oh, yes, Ren,” He grinned, realizing, for the first time, he was _winning_. “She's a looker, that one. You look a little lost, should I refresh your memory? You came here together – short, black dress, nice ass.”

Kylo inhaled, exhaled. He felt himself shaking in rage, fueled by a hatred for the man in front of him so deep that he swore, _swore_ , it would end in Hux's death. But he had to keep Rey safe, and since he couldn't threaten Hux's life like he wanted, he had to go a different route. He had to pull his interest _away_ from Rey.

Kylo folded his arms across his chest, raising one brow, “The whore?”

Hux narrowed his eyebrows, not buying the lies, “Really, Ren?”

“You truly are more stupid than you look,” Kylo laughed, curling his lip upwards. “I'm surprised you of all people can't recognize a prostitute when you see one. You want her? Go get her. You can have her. You can take her home right now, I'm finished with her anyway.”

It was the best he could do, the most calm and collected he could become while inside he only imagined his fingers wrapped around Hux's throat and the oxygen fading from his lungs. He could only hope it was enough to convince him that Rey wasn't worth using as a threat to him. Kylo wasn't sure he would be capable of not starting a war if Hux put a finger on her. 

“Forget the whore, get to the god damn point,” Han growled. “What's the message?”

Hux's eyes sharpened at Kylo, “The guns you moved last week breached our contract. The contract agreed that no one would have deals with Jabba. You hand delivered the weapons personally, Ren. This won't go without punishment.”

Kylo reacted instantly, receiving shouts from both Chewie and Han as his fists found the front of Hux's shirt and he slammed him into the wall, “You come to our territory and _threaten_ us?”

Hux glared up at him, “You – broke – treaty.”

“Fuck – your – treaty,” Kylo growled, his voice dripping venom. He pulled a knife from his pocket, flipping the blade open and resting it against the man's cheek. “Give me one reason, Hux, why I shouldn't lay you out right now.”

He grinned, “Phasma and her men would kill you all. You know it.”

Kylo felt rough hands forcing him away from Hux, pushing, shoving, until he was on the opposite side of the room. His chest rose and fell deeply with each breath and he slowly placed his weapon back in his pocket.

“There's been a mistake somewhere. We'll get the message to Mara, she'll be in contact,” Han said sternly, finalizing the conversation. “See yourself out, Hux. Next time, don't show your face here.”

Despite having to straighten his suit from Kylo's hands, Hux still appeared satisfied with himself, “Assuming there will be a _next time_.”

The door slammed behind him as Hux left.

“What the fuck was that?” Han shouted.

“I'm sorry, I lost my–“

“Yeah,” Han said angrily. “You fucking did. He'll report that to Phasma. I have to tell Mara, she's going to be pissed that you put your hands on him.”

Kylo ran his fingers angrily through his hair and shoved the door open, walking into the hallway closely followed by a still-pissed Han and Chewie. He froze, causing the other two to slam into his back.

Rey.

Her eyes were wide, lips parted, face distorted. . . 

Han huffed, glancing from her to Kylo, and whispered sharply, “Handle this. Handle it _now_.”


	5. Empires

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, I'm here to break your hearts a little further.  
> New love is so complicated, at least in our little love's lives.
> 
> Also, I made a twitter if you'd like to follow me! @stellartides  
> We can talk about Reylo or how much you hate me for destroying them, whichever. :)  
> Oh, and yes, I changed my penname, but it's still me!

__

_Got me second guessing  
Everything you say  
Thinking that I know you  
But you're really a stranger  
Doing what you gotta do to get your way  
You're reckless and selfish  
And you can't help it_

“Take her friends home. Let them know I'll have her there shortly,” Kylo's voice was clipped and short.

“Don't bother, I'm leaving now,” Rey spat, spinning on her heels to leave, unable to even look at his face.

A whore.

A prostitute. 

_How dare he?_

Of all the different ways she had imagined this night to go, being called a whore by Kylo hadn't crossed her mind. Torn between stinging eyes and suppressing the urge to cry or to bruise her own fingers against Kylo's face, she tensed her shoulders and made to shove past Han. He reached forward, one hand gripping her shoulder, and looked down at her almost apologetically. 

“Can't let you leave yet, sweetheart,” Han said quietly.

Rey glared up at him and slapped his hand off her, twisting away. She opened her mouth to speak but Kylo's hand wrapped around her bicep and tugged her backwards.

“ _Don't_ touch me!” She shouted, pressing herself against the wall as far away from him as possible.

He recoiled, his expression somehow reading hurt. The pain on his face wildfired her anger and she wanted nothing more than to hit him, give him pain, hurt him like he hurt her. Her breath was coming in rapidly and she felt her body echo as she began to shake. Han's eyes were careful, switching between Kylo and Rey. He rubbed his hand across his face and his palms turned to fists.

“I'm going to get her friends. Can you take care of this or are you going to need help?” He asked Kylo impatiently.

Kylo took a breath and raised his chin, “I'll take care of it. Just go.”

With her feet stuck in place, Rey watched Han and Chewie's retreating figures. Every few paces, Han glanced over his shoulder at her, perhaps to see if she was attempting to follow them. Though she wanted desperately to leave, she couldn't make her feet move. She couldn't think straight. None of this seemed. . . real.

“Rey–“

“Don't.”

She no longer wanted him to say her name. Her stomach twisted, flipped until she thought she would vomit on her shoes. She wanted to go home, strip off her clothes, shower until she washed away everything from tonight and then sleep until the night was all but a faded memory. She wanted to leave.

“I'm going home,” She muttered, finding the strength to push herself off the wall.

Despite being so large, Kylo was fast. He was blocking her way before she could blink and suddenly all could see was dark suit, black tie, broad shoulders. She glared at his chest for a moment, watching it rise and fall and tense beneath his clothes.

“We have to talk first,” He stated lowly.

“No, we don't,” She said angrily.

His arm reached out, palm braced against the wall next to them and further blocking her exit route, “We can do this the easy way, Rey, or we can do it the hard way.”

Her eyes flashed up dangerously, “Are you threatening me?”

His expression was hard, blues narrow, “No.”

“I don't want to talk to you. I don't even want to look at you.”

He took a step closer to her, peering down at her, “I didn't ask you what you wanted.”

His words were the climax; she coiled her hand into a fist, twisted her hips, and slammed it for his face.

But Kylo was quicker – his palm caught her fist inches from his face. His hands, fingers, covered hers completely, and she glared at the skin to skin contact. He seemed unphased, his expression composed as if this were precisely the reaction he was expecting. Enraged, lit by alcohol and raw anger, she lashed out once more, this time with her knee. Kylo twisted her wrist and spun her around until she bent at the waist, her arm secured behind her back. He leaned forward behind her, wrapped his free arm around her waist, and lifted her off the ground.

“I didn't want to do this,” He growled in her ear.

She thrashed against his arms, twisting her body and kicking her legs, her heels scraping along the wall as she desperately tried to free herself from him. As if she weighed nothing, he carried her easily, kicked another door open, and dragged her into the dark room. When finally he bent forward and let her feet touch the ground, she was out of breath from struggling. He slammed the door closed behind them with his foot and she felt his breath blow against her cheek as he tried to steady his breathing. 

Unable to see in the darkness, with nothing but the feel of his chest against her back and arms encased tightly around her waist, she was suddenly very aware of him. His heart was racing between her shoulder blades and his hands were threaded in the fabric of her dress but they were shaking. 

“I'm sorry.”

His voice was hardly audible but she felt the vibrations against the side of her face. His close proximity was unnerving – it twisted her anger into lust, her disgust to desire, and she hated it. She didn't want to want his hands on her, not like this. 

Finally, he released her and she lost all warmth as his touch vanished from her body. Kylo flipped the light on and she blinked rapidly. Thinking a bit more clearly, she stepped further away from him.

“I need to know what you heard,” He stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

He appeared torn; his features were harsh but his eyes were hurt, guilty. She refused to feel sorry for him in this moment; not minutes after he had degraded her.

“Which part do you want to know? The part where I'm a whore or the part where I'm a prostitute you tried to pass off to another man?” She spat. 

Speaking the words out loud, she was embarrassed. Her face flushed and for a moment, she felt as little as his words had made her out to be – a whore, less than a person, worthless. Her eyes burned and her shoulders shook but she refused to cry in front of him.

“You're not a whore, Rey” He sighed, his hand raking across his face. “I didn't mean what I said. I've never thought of you like that, not once. I wouldn't have let him lay one finger on you. It sounds – _fuck_ – it sounds stupid. It's complicated.”

She couldn't suppress her laughter, “It's complicated? Your words were fairly clear. It seemed simple to me.”

_You can have her._

She winced.

_I'm finished with her anyway._

She couldn't look at him.

“I'm sure it does,” His crumpled demeanor was suddenly calm. “But it's not that simple.”

“Oh, I think it is,” Rey replied, her anger returning. She crossed the room quickly until she was standing inches from him and tilted her face up to glare directly at him. “I am not your whore.”

“I know,” He whispered, glancing down at her carefully.

“I'm not a prostitute,” She said, crossing her arms across her chest.

“I know,” He repeated, licking his lips.

Her pulse spiked. His eyes were bright, alive. He stepped closer, chest pressing against the arms folded around her ribs. She wanted to press closer, to back away, to feel his hands on her body, to slap him across the face. It was a tornado of emotions – angry one second, skin-blistering the next. 

“Say it,” She whispered sharply.

“You are not a whore,” He breathed, watching her lips move. 

“Say it again,” She demanded softly, the fight slowly leaving her voice.

His breath, cinnamon laced and desire filled, swirled across her cheeks and dizzied her, “You're not a prostitute.“

Her chin dipped slightly as she nodded and she struggled to keep her voice steady, “Why did you refer to me as one?”

His gaze shifted from her lips to her eyes and then his eyelids fluttered closed, “To keep you safe – to keep him away from you.”

The tip of his nose brushed against hers and she closed her eyes too, “That doesn't make sense.”

“It doesn't have to,” He whispered, breathing her in deeply. “But it's the truth. I told you I would never lie to you. I meant that.”

Her arms dropped from her chest and she traced up his tie with brave fingers. His eyes opened slightly and he watched her hands move up his chest, pausing at his neck. Her fingertips found his pulse point and she met his gaze. 

“Your heart's racing.”

He swallowed, nodded, and his fingers found hers. He pressed the tips of her fingers deeper into his neck, feeling the blood thrum quicker, faster.

“You have no idea,” He whispered slowly. “What you do to me. . .”

She shifted her weight on unsteady feet and closely examined his face, the curve of his nose, the fullness of his lips, one tiny scar just above his right eyebrow. . . Her fingertips whispered further up his neck, along his jaw until her thumb moved across his bottom lip and he sucked in a deep, slow breath. His eyes were fire to her skin causing her blood to rush to her face.

“What else did you hear?” He whispered, lips soft against her fingers.

“You threatened that man,” She said softly, slowly moving her fingers along the side of his face.

He nodded, “What else?”

She ran her index finger along the length of the small scar above his brow, “Something about guns.”

He exhaled sharply and pulled his face away from her touch, suddenly serious, “I need your word that you won't speak about what you heard tonight. Your word is everything.”

“Why?” She chewed the inside of her lip.

He seemed to struggle for a moment on what to say next, “Because it's business – things that you shouldn't be involved in. It's safer if you don't know anything, so I need you to forget it.”

She dropped her hand to her side limply, “I don't even understand what I'm supposed to forget.”

The corners of his mouth tugged upwards slightly, “Good.”

“And I guess you're not going to explain anything to me,” She stated dully.

He shook his head, “You don't need to know, you just need to trust me.”

“You make that difficult sometimes,” She looked down at her heels, scuffing one across the tile anxiously.

Gently, he placed a finger beneath her chin and forced her face up to look at him, “I'm only trying to protect you, but I need your word, Rey. I trust you to keep it.”

She inhaled sharply, feeling her knees grow weaker the longer she held his gaze, “I won't tell anyone what I heard.”

His grip on her chin tightened for a moment. He pulled his bottom lip roughly between his teeth and then released her, “Good girl. Lets get you home.”

* * *

Kylo didn't have the slightest idea what he was doing. Rey hadn't spoken a word the entire ride back to her apartment. He was unsure if she was still angry or upset, or possibly if she no longer wanted anything to do with him.

He hated it, but he couldn't blame her.

He wondered, honestly, if never speaking to her again was the best thing for her. It was the first time they had been together outside of Geonisis and someone had already threatened her, how bad would it be if they were casually friends, or even dating? How much danger would she be in just by associating with him? The thought wasn't new to him, as a matter of fact it's what had kept him from dating in the past. 

Being with Kylo came with two certainties – you were in danger or you joined his family.

But Rey was innocent. It was what had drawn him to her in the first place. She was pure, unscathed by the world, protected. Her skin didn't hold scars and her eyes weren't shadows – she was clear, honest, and good. His opposite. He couldn't imagine her trafficking drugs for Mara, pressing a pistol to someone's forehead and threatening their life. And he didn't want to – Rey was too good, too good for his mess.

His darker side was selfish, disgustingly so. His desire for her eclipsed rationality. Controlling himself around her was difficult. Being near her was like holding a kitten – he wanted to kiss her, caress her skin, but he also wanted to wrap his fingers around her throat and squeeze, to hear her whimper and beg for him, and then break her down. He wanted to let her go, to protect her, but to leave her with enough of him that she craved more.

He watched her carefully as he drove, wondering where her thoughts were leading her. Her knees pressed together tightly but her dress was riding up her smooth thighs. The urge to put his hands between her knees, trail his fingers up her inner thighs and dive in deep until she rode his fingers was nearly uncontrollable. 

Because he was selfish.

She was pure.

And he wanted to save her innocence and ruin her all at the same time.

The sickest part was the she would let him. He knew it by the flush on her cheeks when he caught her eyes, the shaking in her fingers when he touched her, the seemingly natural way her body reacted to him. If he tried, she would let him break her. And she would love it. She would get high off of it. 

Rey cleared her throat as Kylo pulled into a parking spot at her apartment complex and killed the engine, “How did my car get here?”

“Chewie,” Kylo stepped from the car, grabbed her duffle bag from his trunk, and carried himself around to the passenger side. He helped her out of the car and followed her up the steps to her front door. Just outside, she paused and turned to him. His brows pulled together as he struggled to read her.

“Normally, I would thank you for tonight but given the circumstances I don't feel like I should,” She simply said.

He released his hold on her duffle bag and let it drop to the ground next to his feet. The grand divide in his inner self cracked further and his mind was a whirl of thoughts as he tried to decide what he should do. Torn between two drastically different choices – cut her off now, that was certainly the safer option for her, or keep her close. But when her green eyes illuminated the darkness and met his, when her teeth chewed on her lip nervously and she tiptoed an inch closer, all coherent thoughts left his brain. He was so lost in her.

_Fuck it._

It took one stride to close the distance between them and one touch to send them ablaze. His fingers pressed deeply into the back of her neck and he pulled her face forwards to his, their lips meeting roughly, starving, burning. Her lips were soft but she was explosive. Her fingers wrapped around his tie pulling him close, close, closer. Her lips parted for his tongue and he tasted her hungrily, desperately. A small whine escaped her throat and pushed him further over the edge. His hands left her neck and moved down her back, lower, over her ass, lower, until he reached the backs of her thighs. Without releasing her lips, he lifted her up in one swift movement, placing himself between her parted legs and slamming her back into her door. 

Her hands moved up his neck until her fingers knotted in his hair. She twisted, scraping her nails along his scalp, causing him to break their kiss. The pain was euphoric. A deep moan, from far inside his chest, rattled from his throat and he moved his lips down her jaw to her neck. She smelled so good, so sweet, so delicious. He scraped his teeth along her tender flesh and her body shivered as she tightened her grip on his hair. 

_There it is._

He nipped at her flesh, bruising and reddening the skin, sucking and licking a trail up to her earlobe until she whined and rocked her hips against his. She was breathing sharply, the faintest of _please_ and _fuck_ escaping her lips. He dipped a hand between their bodies, sliding beneath her dress, between her thighs, until his fingers brushed her center through thin fabric. She was soaking, trembling, grinding, and– 

_“What the fuck was that?”_

_“Was that Rey?”_

Kylo dropped her quickly and stepped away from her, wiping his mouth with his thumb. Her face was lust-flushed and her hair wild. Her lips were red and swollen, parted slightly as she took deep breaths and steadied herself. She was perfect.

The front door pulled open quickly and Poe stepped outside looking concerned, “Rey? Are you alright?”

Kylo tensed, clenching his jaw, and kept his eyes on Poe over Rey's shoulder. Poe reached out to touch her and she stepped away, reaching for her bag. Kylo could see the tremble in her thighs as she moved, the shake in her fingers as she tried to brush her hair back into place, and he knew Poe could see it too.

And it gave him _great_ satisfaction.

“Thank you,” She said finally, her voice as unsteady as her body. “For bringing me home.”

“The pleasure was all _mine_.”

* * *

“Do you have _any_ idea what you've done?”

Before Kylo could close the door behind him, Mara was in his face. She was furious, eyes blazing in raw anger, and her hand lashed out and whipped across his face. Two hands caught his chest and slammed him back against the door and he raised his palms in defeat.

“I know,” He snapped. “I fucked up.”

“You,” She spit, angling her face so that her rage was positively received. “You did more than fuck up, Kylo. I don't even know where to begin – Jabba? Armitage? You know the rules. You signed the damn treaty! _What the hell were you thinking?_ ”

He pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers and tensed, “It was a slip up. I didn't realize those guns were going directly to Jabba, I thought it was an outside job. By the time I figured it out, it was too late.”

She narrowed her eyes, “And did it ever cross your mind to tell me that?”

“I was going to–“ His voice cut off as she raised her hand once more, given pause only by Han's voice.

“It was a mistake,” He clipped. “A grand, ignorant mistake, but a mistake none the less.”

Mara took a step back, exhaling anger, “And I've been left to clean up your mess. And what about Armitage?”

Kylo growled, “Hux knows better than to threaten us.”

Mara pointed her finger dangerously at him, “Armitage isn't as ignorant as you make him to be, Ren. You acted out of line.”

A stressed silence fell among them before finally Mara took a deep breath and brushed hair from her face, “I've spoken to Phasma and made a deal that will save our treaty. Mind you, Ren, this is your fault so you'll be the one to handle it.”

“Fine,” Kylo snapped. “What is it?”

“Two detectives have been investigating one of her warehouses. You're going to take care of them.”

Kylo's face paled and he took a step back, his voice quiet, “You want me to kill two cops?”

Mara's eyes narrowed, “Do you think you can find a better alternative for peace? That was Phasma's offer.”

“We don't,” He started, shaking his head. “We don't kill cops.”

“We don't,” Mara snipped. “You do. Get the job done by the end of the week. And don't be sloppy, we don't need a trail leading back to us.”

“You're serious?” He blanked.

Her eyes were venom, “Did any part of this conversation indicate humor? Yes, I'm serious. This is the end of the discussion.”

She turned on her heel to leave, leave him standing with his mouth open in disbelief, but she paused just before exiting the room, “And Ren? Forget about the girl. You will not see her again, that's my final word.”


End file.
